Liquid treatment of metal sheets



Dec. 6, 1938. L. c. STEELE I yLIQUID TREATMENT OF METAL SHEETS FiledJune l2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 6, 1938. L. c. STEELE LIQUIDTREATMENT OF METAL SHEETS Filed June 12', 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 pagina6,1938 Y 2,139,337V

NITED STATES LATENTx oFFicE 2,139,337 LIQUID TREATMENT or METAL snEErrslLawrence C. Steele, Union, W. Va. A Application June lz, 1937, serialNo. 147,825

" 4 claims. (ci. 26e-si My invention' relates to the pickling or acidrolls are driven in any suitable manner and comcleansing of sheet metalplates or strips, and the prise two pairs of sheet-contacting rolls 26and washing thereof to remove grease or other foreign 2l and rolls 28and 29 that closely fit the pematter. adhering to the rolled sheets. Theripheries of the rolls 26 and 21. The upper rolls 5 pickling and washingoperations are perof this group are supported in vertically movable sformed either simply for the purpose of cleansing f ybearings which areyieldably urged downwardly the sheets or for preparing them to be coatedby means of springs 30. with tin or other plating. A pair voi? steampipes 32 extend laterally across One object of my inventlonis to providean imthe space 25 and contain jet-like orifices 82a diproved form ofapparatus for eecti-vely cleansing -rected angularly against theupperand lower i0 metal strips or sheets as above referred to. sides ofthe metal-sheet 33, in a direction to Another object of my` invention isto provide effect flow of fluid transversely of the sheet, as vcleansingapparatus of the character referred to shown in Fig. 3. The pipes 32 aresupplied with which can suitably be used either in the cleansing steamunder pressure or could be supplied with l5 of terne plate or stripsfrom the continuous type acid under pressure, or other fluid, and theJets 15 of rolling mill. trom 'the pipes serve vto propel 4from thesheets As shown in the accompanying drawings, Figany loose scales,saponified matter etc. and may ure l is a plan view of the apparatus;Fig. 2 is a cause more intimate contact of the acid with view taken onthe line II--II of Fig. l; Fig. 31s lumps of grease that have not beenfully disan enlarged sectional view taken o'n the line solved orsaponified. The rolls enclosing the 7 llI-III of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is aview taken on space 25 serve somewhat as bailies which will the une IV..IV of Fig, 3, prevent the jets from stirring up sedimentfrom Theapparatus includes an acid tank I and a the bottom and lower corners ofthe tank. water tank 6 which suitably may bev of unitary 'The space 25is further closed by plates 34, at

construction and divided by a partition 1. The' its ends, openings orports 3| being provided .I

tank 5 will contain sulphuric acid or other suitthrough the plates 34for retarding iiow of the able cleansing agents, while the tank 8 willbe fluid between the tank and the spacev 25. The lled with water forremoving the acid from the rolls 26, 21, 28 and 29 are rubber faced, andvametal sheets. The sheets enter the tank 5 across rions of the otherrolls herein referred to may also 30 a roller 9 and down a guide plateI8, and are be rubber faced.

- drawn forwardly by pairs of rollers il, I2 and I3, Driven rolls 35advance the sheet along an upwhlch may be driven in `any suitablemanner. wardly-inclined plate 36 to driven rolls 31 mountintermediatethe rollers Il and l2 and the rollers ed above the partition l, fromwhence the sheet i2 and i3 are pairs of rollers I4 and i5 respecwillpass down an inclined plate or guide 38 to a 85 tively, which aremounted in'vertically recipropair of driven rolls 39 which-correspond tothe cable bearing blocks I8 and I 'lat each end, which rolls 24, and aremounted in the water tank 8. are, carried by eccentric rods i 8connected to Within the tank 8 are a group of segregating or `eccentricsi9. The shafts 28 for the eccentrica baille rolls 48 which are arrangedsimilarly to Y i9 have mounted thereon gear wheels 2| which and functionin the same manner as the rolls 28,

40 are driven from a pinion 22 that issecured to 21, 28 and 29.Similarly within the space en- 40' shaft 23, the shaft 23 being drivenfrom any closed by the rolls 40 are a pair of steam pipes or suitablesource of power. water pipes 4I which are of the same construction Sincethe bearings for the rollers Il, I2 and I 3 as the jet pipes'32. 'I'hejets from the pipes 4i are stationary, it will be seen that uponoperation exert a forcible mechanical cleaning action upon of theeccentrics I8A during the passage of a the sheet to remove loose matterand any adher- 45 sheet through the pickling tank, the sheetswill entdrops of acid therefrom. 'Ihe sheets are disbe flexed vertically, thusagitating the acid, and charged from the tank by pairs of rollers 42 andmaking i'or more intimate contact between the 43.

sheets and the acid, and producing a washing I, claim as my invention:

ilo effect that is not obtained vwhen the sheets are l. Apparatus fortreating sheets of mtal and simply placed in acid'or drawn through acid.l the like comprising a tank for containing liquid, After the sheetspass the rolls I3, they are means'for advancing sheets through theliquid,

moved forwardly by driven rolls 24 and caused a group of rollersdisposed partially above and t0 WSS through a group of six rolls whicht0 partially below the piane of travel of the sheets eetherform a.segregated area or space 25- These and arranged to form a partiallyencloseavarea through which the sheet passes, I and devices within saidarea for directing jets of fluid against the faces of the sheets.

2. Apparatus for treating sheets of metal and the like comprising a tankforA containing liquid, means in the tank for forming a segregated bodyof liquid therein spaced above the bottom of the tank, means foradvancing sheets through the segregated body of liquid, means disposedwithin said segregated body for directing jets of fluid angularlyagainst the faces of the sheets and effecting movement of the liquid toand from the said segregated body, and meansfor restricting circulationof liquid' between the tank and the said segregated body.

3. The method of treating sheets of metal and the like which comprisespassing the sheets through a segregated area of liquid in a liquidtreating bath, directing iets of heated iluid under pressure angularlyagainst the faces of the sheets in directions to move the iluid andliquid transversely of the sheets, to cleanse the surfaces oi! thesheets, and restricting'the ow of circulating liquid to relativelynarrow paths at points between the treating bath and the segregated areathereof.

4. Apparatus for treating sheets of metal and the like, comprising aliquid-containing tank,

means for advancing sheets through the tank, L

means forming a segregated liquid-containing area in the tank, buthaving openings in its sides to permit passage of sheets through saidarea, and also having openings in its ends for the circulation ofliquid, and jet-producing devices disposed within the said area, inposition to direct jets of uid against sheet faces and being directedangularly toward one of said openings.

LAWRENCE C. STEELE.

